US intellectual property leader Howrey has launched in Spain after agreeing a deal to take over domestic competition boutique Martinez Lage & Asociados.

The merger, which was agreed last week (21 September), will see Howrey and the three-partner Spanish outfit became financially integrated from 1 January, 2008.

The Spanish office will be overseen by current Martinez managing partner Santiago Martinez Lage, who will remain at the helm for a minimum of four years.

All three Martinez partner will enter Howrey's equity when the merger goes live next year, although no current Howrey partners are expected to join the Spanish office for the foreseeable future.

Commenting on the tie-up, Martinez Lage said: "We are happy [to] have found a firm that fits us very well. Howrey has high professional standards and we both share a philosophy of specialisation."

The news comes after Howrey last year launched an office in Munich with the hire of respected former Clifford Chance local chief Joachim Feldges.

Other US firms to have targeted the region of late include Los Angeles giant Latham & Watkins, which launched offices in Madrid and Barcelona at the beginning of 2007.